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Japan plans arms procurement agency to promote exports

24 Comments
By Tim Kelly and Nobuhiro Kubo

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© (c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2014.

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24 Comments
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very sad.

-5 ( +3 / -8 )

It is a black time for Japan. The anti-war spirit of the only country to have suffered that atom bomb is dead. The march backward is under way. The war lovers are in a joyous mood as they sense they will no longer have to satisfy their blood lust with mere video games.

-5 ( +4 / -9 )

How much do you want to bet they will willingly export arms to China for big bucks while claiming this is some sort of initiative necessary to counter the 'Chinese threat'? Welcome, Japan, to the ranks of the soulless, and hope you find the highest bidder and don't complain later when they use the weapons against you or others.

-7 ( +6 / -13 )

Sorry, guys, but with China on the military rise Japan has no choice. China wants to be number 1 in Asia and sees Japan as being in its way. Whether Japan has apologised "sufficiently" or not for the war doesn't change that. Japan would have to basically let Beijing make its foreign policy - starting with handing over the Senkakus and maybe even the Ryukyu islands.

And unless you want to see things like social spending cut, Japan has to find ways to make savings in other areas for defence. Being able to export weapons to allies could make arms procurement in Japan much cheaper. Besides, exporting weapons doesn't make you a warlike country. Look at Germany, they're a big exporter of submarines and the MEKO family of warships around the world. No reason Japan couldn't be at least as responsible as Germany.

3 ( +6 / -3 )

Not all military hardware is fully assembled or lethal in itself.

Such as,

Mitsubishi Heavy is expected to supply F-35 parts to Britain’s BAE Systems, which builds the rear fuselage of the stealth jet, sources told Reuters in January, placing a Japanese company in an international military project for the first time.

Wow, Britain already has BAE Systems. In fact, Britain has an arsenal of pretty every weapon you could imagine, including nuclear missiles. And France is in the same league.

But let's call the Japanese warmongers because they dare even think about protecting themselves from neighbours making unmistakeable threats. Or we could think rationally instead.

0 ( +4 / -4 )

****Wow, Britain already has BAE Systems. In fact, Britain has an arsenal of pretty every weapon you could imagine, including nuclear missiles. And France is in the same league.

But let's call the Japanese warmongers because they dare even think about protecting themselves from neighbours making unmistakeable threats. Or we could think rationally instead.**

Shall we consider it as a threat, Hmm But you can't force people to spill blood while you celebrate victory leading behind , By the way did you apologized for anything ( we use this word too much , I am just wondering if you omit this word , Because we are bad and we pledged not to fight again no matter what happens

-2 ( +2 / -4 )

How much do you want to bet they will willingly export arms to China for big bucks while claiming this is some sort of initiative necessary to counter the 'Chinese threat'?

Sounds exactly what ROK would do. Unfortunately I don't think China will buy any of those mediocre equipment ROK offers.

1 ( +2 / -1 )

@MONEYFOREVER

Sorry, your English is not clear but,

Because we are bad and we pledged not to fight again no matter what happens

The majority of people living in Japan today were not of adult age when the constitution was written. In fact, most Japanese were not even born. Now in 2014, they have the right to decide their own future.

While Japan's commitment to follow it's peaceful constitution is commendable, thanks to China, times have changed. Thinking otherwise is naive.

1 ( +3 / -2 )

thanks

But japanese generation has no stomach for war , We can barely defend ourselves,

perhaps allying with modi is the best outcome for japan , I hope

0 ( +1 / -1 )

One of the most disappointing aspect of all, is the research and development, the opportunity to work with teams developing and prototyping the next generation of technology is lost in the classified nature of its military applications.

In 2014 the US Army will spend $8bn on R&D, the Navy $16bn and the Air Force $25.7bn, this sort of financial commitment produces vast technological improvements to what is commercially considered 'state of the art'.

I am in favor that the new Technical Research and Development Institute be able to fully exploit all commercial and humanitarian applications to develop products utilizing this advanced technology.

0 ( +1 / -1 )

So, I guess this means we will see many more fine Japanese copies of current technology. This is not only a plan to increase Japanese regional security it is also a plan to boost exports through producing weapons. It's pretty sad that Japan does not have the initiative to disregard the security issues of the region and lead Asia out of it by ignoring all the petty crap going on.

-4 ( +0 / -4 )

Sorry, guys, but with China on the military rise Japan has no choice.

Hype and paranoia. China has not vowed to wipe Japan off the map or any other such rhetoric. China wants some certain small territories involved in old disputes. There is zero reason to think China is going to come after Japan full bore. And if it did? Japan is ALREADY loaded up with fighters, war ships and subs, precisely what it would need. Then you have allegiances with the U.S. and Taiwan. China is nowhere near capable of taking Japan in a conventional war, and unconventional war would be mutually assured destruction that was always on the table anyway.

Japan does not need to sell weapons to anybody. Stop it with the fear mongering.

-1 ( +2 / -3 )

Here comes the military complex!!!

First it would be part of a consortium with US and EU partners.

Then as time evolves, couples with lax regulations and oversights, Japan will no doubt redevelop its own domestic version of its military complex similar to the WWI and WWII era.

Japan has the money, and the technology. All it needed was some veil threat against Japan's national security.

The more I see this, seems like LDP and its conglomerate partners planned this all along.

Get China to jump in the disputed islands conversation. Get China to be the #1 threat by virtue of a smoke screen behind some disputed islands. Get everyone who's against China to project China's threat against the region and hype it up in any medium possible. Get the political support for amendment on Article 9. Get set for the re-militarization and re-initiate Japan's military complex in an OPEN channel.

Clearly, its the military complex, the Kawasaki Steel, the 3 big Ms, and the LDP getting in cohoots to rebuild the Empire of Japan.

I don't know if its a good thing or a bad thing for your average Japanese but its most certainly your rights. But putting China on the line of fire might not be such a good idea. I'm pretty sure they know what Japan is planning and thinking as well. And if they are playing along with this, that means they have anticipated the outcome as well.

Jury is still out of this one.

-1 ( +2 / -3 )

Sign of a dying nation, socially, economically and most of all spiritually. I want to believe that most of the Japanese people don't agree with the direction this country is heading, following after the US, but they don't speak out enough, get out on the street or elect better representatives. So this is the result.

-4 ( +4 / -8 )

This comes as no suprise; I also predicted the same outcome as highball. Kawasaki,Mitsui, Mitsubishi etc all had their beginnings in defense. It goes back futher than that with the shokunin system, banging out swords and weapons for the Samurai class. Its in the Japanese DNA. There was a shift post war to make nice cars, clocks, radios etc. but it was the same paradigm behind it. I think Japan will become a major contributor to defense technology and weapons export. The U.S. with its huge economy will always be on top, but no doubt Japan wants in this game.

2 ( +3 / -1 )

Sign of a dying nation, socially, economically and most of all spiritually.

It seems like Japan is finally becoming a NORMAL country when it comes to arms export. Not dying, because if you would like to put this label on Japan then the whole world is already gone. But I look through the window and it's still running!

5 ( +6 / -1 )

Japan already have good weapons. Some of the best AA missiles. Torpedoes. Submarines. Tanks. Ships.

3 ( +4 / -1 )

"Japan already have good weapons. Some of the best AA missiles. Torpedoes. Submarines. Tanks. Ships."

Yes, almost all direct from US technology

0 ( +1 / -1 )

shanchan

with full respect to your sense of love of the nation , But japan won't be dragged again to war

Thank you

0 ( +1 / -1 )

Samsung/LG copied Sony/Panasonic. And how Japan's arm industry is trying to copy South Korea's.

-6 ( +0 / -6 )

How much do you want to bet they will willingly export arms to China for big bucks while claiming this is some sort of initiative necessary to counter the 'Chinese threat'?

I wouldn't bet a penny, because it isn't going to happen - unless a left-wing madman takes office and claims the US is Japan's enemy, whereas China is its friend.

2 ( +2 / -0 )

All of you who are so sad about this can thank China for causing it.

3 ( +4 / -1 )

Well. I always compare China rethoric to my girlfriend depression.

1 ( +1 / -0 )

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